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by lonelywinter
Summary: Peter wanted to take her back to Neverland with him, he'd never been so captivated with anything in his life. But he knew -oh trust him, he knew- that she would not age in his home and so he'd have to wait. [oneshot]


**this was a request on tumblr, hopefully it's okay (a lot of spelling errors probably sorry)**

He saw her through the haze of people, shrouded by curtains around her bassinet. It was a party of wonders -for everybody to laugh and enjoy the birth of the kingdoms new Princess. So Peter had to show up, he had to spy. The castle was too grand and the party too loud not to.

He approached the girl quietly -the way only a man of monstrous acts could- and began to peer inside of her bed. She was sleeping, what a funny thing. In the midst of such chaos her little eyelids remained closed not even blinking. What a curious little person she was, a bundle of brown locks on her head, pale skin with cheeks stained red. Peter wanted to take her back to Neverland with him, he'd never been so captivated with anything in his life. But he knew -oh trust him, he knew- that she would not age in his home and so he'd have to wait.

"Hey you Boy! Step away from the Princess!" A nameless guard yelled. Peter was already laughing into a cloud of nothing by the time they got to him.

-o-

Her name was Wendy. She liked to play with her dolls, dress them up in ball gowns and pretend they were real. She'd have tea parties and elegant dances. She was lonely most of the time, seeing as her only other siblings were boys and they wanted to get themselves dirty outside. Wendy was a lady.

The days Wendy was always excited for were when Peter wold visit. He would sit outside her window and listen to her mother reading a bedtime story -always a Princess, always a Prince, always true love- but as soon as her mother would leave, he'd crack the window open and slip inside.

Peter loved to talk to her, he told her stories about a place called Neverland, and how the children never grew. The oldest boy there was sixteen -he pointed at himself- and everybody could fly. Wendy would laugh with him until her stomach hurt, her eyes wide as saucers when he recounted his tales of mystical journeys, then she'd drift off to sleep mumbling about flying and without fail Peter would always say, "goodnight Wendy Bird."

-o-

When she was thirteen years old she was awkward and pimply and wanted Peter to stop visiting. She hated being a Princess, she hated the castle, hated the dresses and the constant need to be a perfect lady. Her mother told her to smarten up more then she hugged her.

Her older brother was proper and gentlemanly -apparently only when her parents were there- and they would scold her to follow in his footsteps. Wendy wants to be free, to fly the skies of Neverland with the lost boys and her darling Peter Pan.

Despite Wendy's insecurities Peter never stopped knocking on her window whenever the coast was clear -though her mother didn't read her stories anymore she read her own. Each time Peter visited she would tell him of her latest novel and into the night they would talk until Peter could see the morning sun rising in the window and told Wendy she should get some rest. She'd plead with him to take her with him but he would shake his head. "You're not ready Wendy Bird." Then he would place a chaste kiss against her forehead, "Goodnight."

-o-

On her sixteenth birthday they threw her a ball, a magnificently planned evening with all of her friends, families and acquaintances. It was a lovely time -Wendy decided that whenever they brought out her favourite foods- but it just wasn't her kind of good time. Her mother had told her all girls her age want to have parties and dance until their feet hurt but not Wendy.

She remembered Peter pointing at himself, speaking about being the oldest boy on the island. Peter was sixteen. Would she be old enough then? After all those years would her time to fly finally be up?

Wendy was pressured into dancing with a few single boys at the party but none of them could hold her interest. None of them smiled mischievously and spoke about an impossible island. Until one of them did.

She almost didn't recognize him without his regular clothing on - "It's an illusion Wendy Bird"- but he had showed up. Peter held her hand and waist simultaneously as she spun around the dance floor. Her mother eyed them suspiciously but kept quiet for a the time being.

"You showed up." Wendy was in awe, staring at his suit, then his face, smiling up at him with a million volts of joy within her. "Why during the party?"

He was smirking at her -the way the devil does- and explained, "Because it's time Wendy. You're ready."

And so she ran with him towards the balcony of the second floor. Her mother screamed, the guards chased after them, but somehow they were faster. She heard her families pleas to come back downstairs but Wendy couldn't bother to listen to them, grasping Peter's hand tight and laughing.

Neither one hesitated to jump into the open air, dropping for only a second, until the magic of fairy dust began to lift them up into the air and Wendy couldn't breathe. Her whole life she had been waiting for the one moment where her feet didn't touch the ground, where gravity was no longer her friend and everything below her was the remains of her old life. "Take me to Neverland." She called out into the sky.

Peter smiled, "As you wish."

-o-

The searched for Wendy went on for nearly five years but to no avail. They had no ideas of where to look for a girl who had disappeared via magic but they searched every nook and cranny they could. They needed help, they need a miracle.

The King and Queen had heard of a place where there was magic. They weren't stupid they knew of its existence and they believed they'd been protecting their children -they were wrong. Ever since a mysterious boy visited Wendy in her crib they had tried to shield her away from it's harm, but now they need it's help.

Storybrooke. It was supposed to be filled with magic. They called the inhabitants to the palace -a 911 emergency is ever there was one- and waited patiently for them to arrive. Two days of travel landed a group of normal looking citizens -except for the pirate- at the King and Queens door. Emma Swan, Snow White, Prince Charming, Captain Hook, Bealfire -or Neil?- and Regina -the evil Queen- were going to be their saviours. The Queen nearly fainted at the thought of it.

"Our daughter was kidnapped!" They told the group about a childlike boy that crept into their daughters party and stole her whenever they weren't looking. They explained that he could fly, that as he took off his suit transformed into an armour of jungle colours.

At the description Neil perked up and said two words, "Peter Pan."

Emma didn't believe it at first but they persisted and they accepted their task. Hook offered his ships travelling services the moment that Emma looked at him, and with that they promise Wendy Darlings safe return.

-o-

Wendy held her sword tighter in her hand, making sure her swing would hit it's target. She jabbed and swept and caught Peter off guard, wounding his arm slightly. His own weapon tumbled from his grasp and she jumped in victory, "I win again Peter!"

He was smirking the way he usually did. He used to let her win -but not anymore, never anymore- but now she could do it all by herself. Wendy was a fighter. She liked to fly and fight and play in the mud like all the other boys did.

Peter had never seen such a beautiful creature such as her.

"My Queen," he titled his head at her, "you always win."

Wendy laughed when his arms encircled her waist, never getting over the feeling of him. "Not always." He was sceptical -his eyes bore that truth- but he did not speak. For Peter, hearing Wendy's voice in any kind of way was enough to make him lose his doubts or worries. So he kissed her. Again, and again, and again until she had to push him away to catch her breath.

-o-

Emma and her family -most of them- landed on Neverland with struggles. Mermaids, who would have thought they'd be so much trouble? But they couldn't let that stop them they had a Princess to find and rescue.

They were greeted by a band of wild boys that told them Neverland was no place for strangers and Pan was going to have their heads. Hook told them to tell Peter that he was there because they had history -Emma rolled her eyes at it all. Pan and Hook? Ridiculous- but the Lost Boys merely smiled wickedly and told them that Pan would find them, they didn't have to request an audience.

That made them all uneasy -why couldn't it just be a simple mission?

When Peter did find them he seemed no older then 16. "I am sixteen." He confirmed. "What are you doing on my island?"

"We're here to save the Princess." The blond woman declared -Emma, her name was Emma.

Peter's heart clenched as his Queen's name sounded from their lips. "You'll never get her. She'll never leave." They were all fools. Wendy wanted to be with him -she did, she did, she did- so they were just running around pointlessly. He would let them find her, and watch them fail miserably in their attempts.

He left them in the middle of the forest, lost and confused.

-o-

Wendy was laughing, it was a brilliant sound. She sat by the fire with a blanket pulled tight, her lips curved upwards happily. Peter could have taken her right then and there but he withheld. She had to be safe -she had to stay.

"Wendy would you mind collecting some wood from the left side of the island, it's all dried from the rain last week." Peter asked, leaning near a tree.

She looked up at him with wide eyes -beautiful eyes- and told him she would. "Don't look so worried I'll be back." Her voice was low, her fingers lingering inches from her sword. Peter wasn't worried -not at all really- he just didn't want her to get hurt was all. Wendy kissed his cheek gently.

He hated when she kissed him in front of the Lost Boys but it didn't matter then, as long as she came back to him -back to home.

-o-

"Princess!" Mary Margaret called out in shock. She was stumbling through the woods, trying to reach Wendy -who was in awe. "We're here, you don't have to worry."

Why would she worry? She was here on Neverland with Pan -she had no reason to worry. "I'm fine." And she was. Wendy never lied, she always spoke her mind, she was fine.

There were more of them, surrounding her then with concerned expressions. She knitted her eyebrows together -why so upset?- and backed herself up against a tree. "We're here to rescue you." Emma spoke.

Wendy didn't understand. "I'm not in danger." Where was Peter, she wanted her King. "I need to leave, Peter is waiting."

Somebody grabbed her arm. It was a man. He looked pained. "Wendy we're here to save you!" She titled her head -save? "You don't have to stay here with Pan anymore, we can take you back home."

She pulled away from him, her head shaking, "Neverland is my home."

"But your family-"

"The Lost Boys, Tinkerbelle, Peter! They're my family." Her parents and brothers were just a memory -a dull one at that- and she never wanted to return to it. Who did these travellers think they were, speaking to the Queen like that? "I am the Queen of this island and I demand you leave!" They didn't budge.

Emma reached out a hand, but this time Wendy drew her sword, pointing it at the blond girls throat. "Leave!" Her command was definite this time.

"Wendy listen!" Mary Margret's hands flew out, Wendy didn't pay attention. "Peter kidnapped you, you'll be safe with us."

Her hands shook. Lies. "I left with him willingly, he never made me do anything."

Then they had to believe her because why would she fight so hard to stay. They backed off.

-o-

Peter was waiting in the shadows, watching as the strangers crowded his Wendy Bird -oh how he wanted to rip them limb from limb- but then they retreated. She stood with her sword as they fell back into the forest.

He came from behind her. "You stayed."

She met his eyes, "Of course I did."


End file.
